We pride ourselves on having the friendliest
and most welcoming forums for moms and moms to be! Please take a moment
and register
for free so you can be a part of our growing community of mothers.
If you have any problems registering please drop an email to boards@justmommies.com.

Our community is moderated by our moderation team so you won't see spam or offensive messages posted on our forums. Each of our message boards is hosted by JustMommies hosts, whose names are listed at the top each board. We hope you find our message boards friendly, helpful, and fun to be on!

Well, after abusing my body, I have finally decided to stick with something more natural. Here's to hoping I have the self control for it!

In March, I got an IUD put in. I bled for a good 7-8 weeks, stopped bleeding for a week and 1/2 when I got some EXTREME pain followed by bloody fertile mucus. Went in and had the IUD removed, and the NP pushed on my sides, which were still tender from the pain a couple of days before and said she thought I ovulated from that side. Took morning after pill, then put in Nuvaring later that day. That was on a Friday.

On Monday, decided to take Nuvaring out because it was causing cramping. Starting bleeding lightly Tuesday, which lasted until yesterday and today I am just having brown creamy spotting. Started temping for real this morning.

So here's the questions...

1.) I did pick up my BBT and start temping on the Friday I had my IUD removed, and my temps were quite high, indicating that I did, in fact, O. I know this isn't reliable, since I didn't chart prior but my temps are very consistent and not much affects them. Anyway, so on Wednesday, the day after the bleeding started, my temp dropped. My question is, does the morning after pill/nuvaring cause a temp rise or can I be pretty sure I did ovulate?

2.) If I can't be confident that I did ovulate, should ovulation occur on a normal basis now that I am not using any hormones? I am still nursing, but I am only nursing twice a day, which is when my periods returned (very regularly) with DD.

I know I will probably get the whole "We can't tell you, you'll just have to wait and see" but I HAAAAAAATE waiting. SO, it's worth a shot!

I'd hate to give advice when I'm not a certified natural family planning practitioner. Some people self-teach but I wouldn't recommend that. NFP is over 98% effective at avoiding pregnancy if taught correctly, but less so, if there's guess work. After 12 years of knowing my method of NFP, and 9 years of using it specifically for family planning reasons, I still call my practitioner every few months with questions. I've never had a surprise pregnancy and when I've wanted to get pregnant it's happened very quickly. I greatly attribute that to being properly taught NFP by a professional.

Since you are a unique case, coming off of hormonal contraceptives, I'd suggest seeing a practitioner. I could give you links to practitioners depending on where you live.

I have searched and searched and the only place they teach it locally is Planned Parenthood, where this WHOLE mess started to begin with.

Maybe you'll have better luck. I live in Santa Maria, Ca

I am mostly using spermicide as BC, while charting to figure out my cycles for when we TTC. I figure, one I confirm O each cycle, there is not need for the spermicide and then I am not taking any risks by self-teaching and I am all set up for when we are ready to TTC in Fall/Winter.

I am an accredited NFP Instructor with the Billings Ovulation Method. I can help answer these questions from that perspective.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babybear4

1.) I did pick up my BBT and start temping on the Friday I had my IUD removed, and my temps were quite high, indicating that I did, in fact, O. I know this isn't reliable, since I didn't chart prior but my temps are very consistent and not much affects them. Anyway, so on Wednesday, the day after the bleeding started, my temp dropped. My question is, does the morning after pill/nuvaring cause a temp rise or can I be pretty sure I did ovulate?

You cannot rely on those temperatures. Both the Nuvaring and the morning after Pill contain synthetic progesterone. Progesterone is the hormone that makes temperatures after ovulation, so the high readings you have been getting are likely from the fake hormones - not ovulation. If you had the Mirena, that also contains synthetic progesterone...which takes time to leave your system after the IUD is removed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babybear4

2.) If I can't be confident that I did ovulate, should ovulation occur on a normal basis now that I am not using any hormones? I am still nursing, but I am only nursing twice a day, which is when my periods returned (very regularly) with DD.

Ovulation may not happen regularly just yet. The time it will take to regulate after the hormones can vary from woman to woman. Nursing (even just a little) can also cause irregularity. Don't worry though, NFP can be used while things are irregular. It's just very important to learn it all properly so you know how to do that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babybear4

Oh, and our plan is to use spermicide until after O is confirmed.

Just to be technical, that's not NFP. That is the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM). NFP is when couples abstain when the body is showing signs of fertility, to eliminate the chance of conception. FAM is when barriers or spermicides are used when the body shows fertile signs, to reduce the chance of conception. NFP is 99% effective, FAM will have the same failure rate as the spermicide you choose.

Here is a list of NFP Instructors in CA. I don't know which places are near Santa Monica, so you can browse through. The type of NFP they teach is in bold.

Thank you for that info. I always get confused on which method is which. I thought NFP was the general term for all things natural family planning wise, and I thought FAM was a subcategory of NFP, if that makes sense. Shows what I know!

Can you have a cyst burst at any time during a cycle? I have a feeling that is what happened. She just said she thought it was O based on the fact that the side was still sore a couple of days later and the fact that I had fertile CM with the pain.

No problem, hope you don't mind the clarification. You were close! NFP is a general term for all methods that are completely natural and where abstinence is practiced on fertile days. If you think about it, barriers, spermicides, diaphragms etc. are not natural - so they don't really fit with Natural Family Planning.

Fertility Awareness is a general term for all methods that combine tracking fertility with non-hormonal contraceptives or contraceptive behaviors (like withdrawal).

Yes, a cyst can rupture anytime. Which type of IUD was it? Cysts are very common with the Mirena.

Only kidding. I am just so ready to feel back to "normal" after all of those hormones. I have always been against hormones, I knew that they are especially hard on my body so I don't know what I was thinking!

I am hoping that everything will go back to being regular as quickly as it did after DD. I am already a month past when fertility returned with her, yet I am nursing the same amount I did when my fertility returned last time. I am sure it's just the hormones and once those sort themselves out, I will be good to go!

I don't have anything useful to add - I'm still learning too I'm on CD10 of my first charted cycle and have been reading TCOYF and other information sources for about 4 months, and this is my first cycle post-birth control pill, so I'm also getting my body back on track from the craziness of hormonal birth control - but I couldn't read without saying hello and welcome.

I was wondering if you told the doctor that you wanted to conceive? I would ask how long to wait before seeking pregnancy - cycles after hormones may not be normal for a couple of months and you may risk miscarrying - very sad....you can be ovulating shortly, but the luteal phase afterwards may need to lengthen/normalize - it is best to get those artificial hormones out of your body, maybe for a couple of months.... and it may be best to abstain in the few fertile days until you seek PG and not risk the spermicide not working and conceiving and then miscarrying...a great online course is at NFP International at nfpandmore.org to check for special rules coming off hormones...great section on breastfeeding and natural child spacing, too - you may not ovulate from BFeed and can read up on that; as alluded to,in another post: you can read some moral things, too - just click on the book and see what you think about it.

QUOTE=Babybear4;26146862]Well, after abusing my body, I have finally decided to stick with something more natural. Here's to hoping I have the self control for it!

In March, I got an IUD put in. I bled for a good 7-8 weeks, stopped bleeding for a week and 1/2 when I got some EXTREME pain followed by bloody fertile mucus. Went in and had the IUD removed, and the NP pushed on my sides, which were still tender from the pain a couple of days before and said she thought I ovulated from that side. Took morning after pill, then put in Nuvaring later that day. That was on a Friday.

On Monday, decided to take Nuvaring out because it was causing cramping. Starting bleeding lightly Tuesday, which lasted until yesterday and today I am just having brown creamy spotting. Started temping for real this morning.

So here's the questions...

1.) I did pick up my BBT and start temping on the Friday I had my IUD removed, and my temps were quite high, indicating that I did, in fact, O. I know this isn't reliable, since I didn't chart prior but my temps are very consistent and not much affects them. Anyway, so on Wednesday, the day after the bleeding started, my temp dropped. My question is, does the morning after pill/nuvaring cause a temp rise or can I be pretty sure I did ovulate?

2.) If I can't be confident that I did ovulate, should ovulation occur on a normal basis now that I am not using any hormones? I am still nursing, but I am only nursing twice a day, which is when my periods returned (very regularly) with DD.

I know I will probably get the whole "We can't tell you, you'll just have to wait and see" but I HAAAAAAATE waiting. SO, it's worth a shot!

I am not hoping to conceive right now, I stated that I would like to start charting for when we are ready. No offense but this sounds like a big ol' advertisement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ananative

I was wondering if you told the doctor that you wanted to conceive? I would ask how long to wait before seeking pregnancy - cycles after hormones may not be normal for a couple of months and you may risk miscarrying - very sad....you can be ovulating shortly, but the luteal phase afterwards may need to lengthen/normalize - it is best to get those artificial hormones out of your body, maybe for a couple of months.... and it may be best to abstain in the few fertile days until you seek PG and not risk the spermicide not working and conceiving and then miscarrying...a great online course is at NFP International at nfpandmore.org to check for special rules coming off hormones...great section on breastfeeding and natural child spacing, too - you may not ovulate from BFeed and can read up on that; as alluded to,in another post: you can read some moral things, too - just click on the book and see what you think about it.

QUOTE=Babybear4;26146862]Well, after abusing my body, I have finally decided to stick with something more natural. Here's to hoping I have the self control for it!

In March, I got an IUD put in. I bled for a good 7-8 weeks, stopped bleeding for a week and 1/2 when I got some EXTREME pain followed by bloody fertile mucus. Went in and had the IUD removed, and the NP pushed on my sides, which were still tender from the pain a couple of days before and said she thought I ovulated from that side. Took morning after pill, then put in Nuvaring later that day. That was on a Friday.

On Monday, decided to take Nuvaring out because it was causing cramping. Starting bleeding lightly Tuesday, which lasted until yesterday and today I am just having brown creamy spotting. Started temping for real this morning.

So here's the questions...

1.) I did pick up my BBT and start temping on the Friday I had my IUD removed, and my temps were quite high, indicating that I did, in fact, O. I know this isn't reliable, since I didn't chart prior but my temps are very consistent and not much affects them. Anyway, so on Wednesday, the day after the bleeding started, my temp dropped. My question is, does the morning after pill/nuvaring cause a temp rise or can I be pretty sure I did ovulate?

2.) If I can't be confident that I did ovulate, should ovulation occur on a normal basis now that I am not using any hormones? I am still nursing, but I am only nursing twice a day, which is when my periods returned (very regularly) with DD.

I know I will probably get the whole "We can't tell you, you'll just have to wait and see" but I HAAAAAAATE waiting. SO, it's worth a shot!

I don't have anything useful to add - I'm still learning too I'm on CD10 of my first charted cycle and have been reading TCOYF and other information sources for about 4 months, and this is my first cycle post-birth control pill, so I'm also getting my body back on track from the craziness of hormonal birth control - but I couldn't read without saying hello and welcome.

Hi there - I guess I misunderstood the post ; sounded like you were pretty sure that you were ovulating from the high temps but you were not sure + that you were gonna use spermicides until you were sure that you were ovulating + then you were going to try to conceive when you thought that the chart looked accurate. I am a nurse and NFP Instructor but the free online book to look at would be able to answer your questions more definitively than just throwing it out to anyone who may have some ideas
**so, yes an advertisement, if that is what you wish to call it , but we used temps for over 20 years and loved it ; I only wanted you to know that this method CAN work + that there ARE answers to your questions... maybe there is even a NFP-only doctor in your area who will help you as well - One More Soul (search for sterilization reversal) and Human Life International/America may have NFP-only-doctor listings as does a pro-life OB-GYN site

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babybear4

I am not hoping to conceive right now, I stated that I would like to start charting for when we are ready. No offense but this sounds like a big ol' advertisement.

Hi there - I guess I misunderstood the post ; sounded like you were pretty sure that you were ovulating from the high temps but you were not sure + that you were gonna use spermicides until you were sure that you were ovulating + then you were going to try to conceive when you thought that the chart looked accurate. I am a nurse and NFP Instructor but the free online book to look at would be able to answer your questions more definitively than just throwing it out to anyone who may have some ideas
**so, yes an advertisement, if that is what you wish to call it , but we used temps for over 20 years and loved it ; I only wanted you to know that this method CAN work + that there ARE answers to your questions... maybe there is even a NFP-only doctor in your area who will help you as well - One More Soul (search for sterilization reversal) and Human Life International/America may have NFP-only-doctor listings as does a pro-life OB-GYN site

[/QUOTE]

Oh, no, I just meant that we would use spermicide until ovulation has been confirmed each cycle until we were ready to conceive. I also plan to abstain or use a second birth control, like condom or pulling out (if you count that!) when I notice fertile signs.